Radical Joy in an Era of Crisis

Amid what feels like the year of global enshittification (yes, it’s the word of the year), I’ve found clarity—and, dare I say, Joy. Not the frothy kind, but something deeper, fiercer. Joy can seem almost forbidden in a world teetering on the edge, where uncertainty and disconnection reign. Yet, in times like these, joy isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline—a rebellion. Let’s call it Radical Joy.

Stonebridge’s most recent and brilliant, We Are Free to Change the World: Hannah Arendt’s Lessons in Love and Disobedience, has since been my companion on long cross-country drives, sparking a relentless keyboard-pounding quest for answers. Arendt, as always, cuts through – resist passivity, think critically, and refuse to conform.

And then it hit me: This is Radical Joy. It’s a tool of resistance, a stance, not a fleeting feeling. It insists on life, dignity, and connection—especially when the world feels unrecognisable.

The comments on Wilson’s post reaffirm it: thoughtful conversations on fear, resilience, and humanity show that even now, people are leaning into each other and into what truly matters. Well, of course now. Radical Joy is no mere comfort; it’s a call to arms, a courageous act of belonging in an unravelling world.

Joy as Resistance and Self-Reclamation: Lessons from Hannah Arendt

Arendt, who wrote with brutal honesty about the rise of totalitarianism, understood that one of the most insidious forms of oppression occurs when we abandon our capacity for independent thought and silence our voices. Her famous phrase, “the banality of evil,” is often misunderstood; it does not imply a passive acceptance of wrongdoing but rather highlights how atrocities like the Holocaust were enabled by the thoughtlessness of individuals who uncritically obeyed authority and failed to question their actions.

For Arendt, genuine thinking was inherently disruptive—challenging societal norms, unsettling the status quo, and threatening authoritarian regimes that thrive on conformity. Yet, she also recognised that thinking carries personal risks, as those who question the world around them often face isolation or alienation. In truth, Arendt’s enduring call to us is to reclaim our freedom to think, feel, and be fully human in the face of dehumanising forces. While she understood that thinking itself can be dangerous, it is precisely this capacity for critical thought—and the transformative joy it can bring—that sustains our humanity.

Radical Joy, then, isn’t about avoidance; it’s a conscious decision to embrace life as it is, to see the full picture without succumbing to despair. In Arendt’s words, when people “escape from reality” into ideologies, cynicism, or apathy, they risk losing the richness of their human experience. To stay joyful in these times is to resist this escape and remain awake to the present.

Soul-Living and Inner Reconciliation: Reflections on Radical Joy

This reflection also brings to mind Indigenous wisdom, practices that offer ways of “being with” oneself while also seeking the presence of creation. Here, Radical Joy isn’t flashy or loud; it’s a quiet, sustaining joy that arises from acceptance and connection to the living world. This kind of joy is an antidote to the alienation Arendt feared, a path back to a shared sense of humanity.

Joy as Authenticity and Presence in a Chaotic World

In a world of superficial distractions, another reader reflects that (Radical) Joy can be as simple—and as profound—as silence, as listening, as asking, “Do I truly understand?” Their insights resonate with Arendt’s belief that our humanity depends on our ability to think deeply and to resist ideology. This perspective on holding space and letting silence reveal truth reminds us that joy is sometimes about simply being in the present. Radical Joy invites us to release the need for labels, to resist cynicism, and to cultivate genuine relationships. In doing so, we reclaim control over our lives, choosing clarity over confusion and connection over loneliness.

Arendt understood that, in a world of noise, the antidote is often simplicity and integrity. Joy, then, is found in that simplicity: in the choice to live fully without the need to shout over the chaos.

Radical Joy as a Path Forward: Embracing Silence, Beauty, and Truth

Radical Joy insists that, even in a time of collapse, beauty and resilience are possible. Wilson’s reflections and her readers’ responses remind us that we can choose to live intentionally, with joy and compassion, in the face of an ever-precarious world. Whether it’s the quiet self-reconciliation of one reader, another’s call for silence, or Wilson’s reminder to “soul nerd” by learning from those who have faced similar times, Radical Joy becomes a lifeline.

Arendt’s prescience about modern technology’s alienation—from the internet’s spread of fantastical lies to the creation of “artificial machines to do our thinking”—warns of a detachment from nature and reality. Radical Joy, in response, grounds us in our shared humanity, reminding us to protect what is real, fragile, and beautiful. As Wilson suggests, “calm the farm” by leaning into simplicity and what nourishes us: art, relationships, and the beauty of a sunset or a piece of music. This joy is not passive; it is fiercely alive.

(Joanna Macy, The Great Turning)

Practical Steps for Practising Radical Joy

Engage in Silence and Reflection: Take inspiration from the insight about silence. Practice stepping back from the noise, observing without judgment, and reconnecting with your inner voice as a daily practice. Learn to meditate as a daily practice. The key to our transformation is learning to sit with discomfort without reacting with aversion.

Embrace a life of Joy: Discover what your core desired feelings are and practice doing the things that make you feel that way. For a world enraptured with finding purpose and meaning through an attachment to having and achieving we can do well to opt out of this capitalist construct and practice being. With the oxygen mask on ourselves first we have a lot more strength and courage to help others.

Reclaim Self-Compassion: Acknowledge the weight of this time and allow yourself to feel it fully. In The Work That Reconnects as pioneered by Joanna Macey we call this despair work. Honestly I find this very difficult as my despair for the world can feel overwhelming. It is gentler if you can practice self-forgiveness, accepting that you can only carry so much, and let Radical Joy arise from within. Grief when fully felt can paradoxically live alongside joy.

Create Meaningful Connections: Radical Joy grows in the company of others. Share moments of beauty with those around you, be vulnerable and support one another in the face of collective challenges. Practice growing small Islands Of Sanity around you.

Embrace the Beauty of Creation: In Australia, we talk about time spent ‘on country’ as a natural grounding and healing miracle. If you grow up here, you know to put your feet into the sand, dive into the surf or get your hands and feet into the dirt. As Arendt feared the rise of artificial detachment, Radical Joy calls us back to nature, art, and what is innately human. Tend to a garden, create art, or immerse yourself in the natural world. You know what to do.

Practice Radical Curiosity in the Pursuit of Dreaming Bigger: We need to add fertilizer to our gardens of dreams in order to transform our world into one that works for all sentient beings. In a world distracted by the great dream stealers of cynicism and resignation, choose to be curious, to seek truth, and to engage with life as it is. Think critically, but let joy guide you in exploring your world with openness.

Choosing Radical Joy as a Revolutionary Act

Radical Joy is a decision to face life’s uncertainties not with fear, but with dignity and compassion. It’s a refusal to let dehumanising forces diminish us, a choice to live with resilience and connection. As Wilson and her readers express, it’s time to protect what is precious, to reclaim joy as an act of defiance and love in an age that tries to strip both away.

Radical Joy is a call to live fully and courageously, to find beauty and meaning amid the darkness. Like Arendt, let us all become “dangerous” thinkers, daring to see things as they are and to love fiercely anyway. In a world that needs both light and integrity, Radical Joy is our choice to hold fast to what truly matters.